(a) Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a center pillar reinforcement unit for a vehicle. More particularly, the present invention relates to a center pillar reinforcement unit for a vehicle that induces collision energy caused by a side collision of the vehicle in a direction independent of an occupant and absorbs the collision energy by using a reinforcement beam disposed in a center pillar in a length direction, and accordingly, it is possible to improve energy-absorbing performance.
(b) Description of the Related Art
Generally, a center pillar of a vehicle body functions as a support between a front door and a rear door, maintains strength at the center of the side of the vehicle body, and is mounted between the front door and the rear door.
An upper side of the center pillar is assembled to a side outer panel, and a lower side of the center pillar is assembled to a side seal. The center pillar includes a center pillar outer panel and a center pillar inner panel.
A lower end of the center pillar outer panel is assembled to the side seal. Particularly, the lower end of the center pillar outer panel is welded to a side seal configured at the inside and lower side of a side panel.
That is, a lower end of the center pillar outer panel, an end of the side seal inner panel, and an end of the side seal outer panel are spot-welded in a state where the lower end of the center pillar outer panel, the end of side seal inner panel, and the end of side seal outer panel are overlapped.
When a side collision of the vehicle occurs in a state where the center pillar outer panel for the vehicle is connected to the side seal, the center pillar outer panel, a side molding, and the side seal are deformed to the inside of the vehicle body. At this time, since the center pillar outer panel transfers collision energy to other parts of the vehicle body, the center pillar outer panel affects energy-absorbing performance.
However, according to a prior art, the center pillar outer panel does not transfer collision energy occurring in a side collision of the vehicle in a direction independent of the occupants, and does not efficiently absorb collision energy, such that there is a problem that side strength of the vehicle is deteriorated.
The above information disclosed in this Background section is only for enhancement of understanding of the background of the invention and therefore it may contain information that does not form the prior art that is already known in this country to a person of ordinary skill in the art.